Numerical research of metal tungsten fluoride process

Abstract

In this paper we consider the mathematical modelling of the process of obtaining tungsten hexafluoride gas, based on the reaction between tungsten powder and fluorine in a chemical reactor, which has a rectangle cross section channel as a working area. The modelling is conducted on the basis of solving three-dimensional equations of impulse, heat and substance transfer in the binary compound, taking into account the heterogeneous reaction undergoing on the bottom of the channel, between the tungsten powder layer and the fluorine gas flow. As a result of numerical solving the problem, the speed, concentration and temperature vector fields’ distributions were revealed, as well as integral characteristic of the completeness of fluorine use. The credibility of the results obtained is confirmed by test researches and the comparing of calculation results with the empirical evidence.